Integrated flow gas turbine

ABSTRACT

A gas turbine having a rotor serving as both compressor and turbine, and utilizing a plurality of non-rotating arcuate members disposed in spaced relation about the periphery of the rotor. These arcuate members are involved in the directing of the flow of combustion products into proximity of the blading of the turbine, to cause its rotation, and by virtue of their advantageous design, these arcuate members not only help establish a cool air boundary against which the combustion products react and thus minimize heating of the blades, but also form passages for the subsequent exhausting of the combustion products.

United States Patent 1191 Traut 1451 Jan. 9, 1973 s41 INTEGRATED FLOWGAS TURBINE 2,658,338 11/1953 Leduc ..416/95 Inventor: Earl w. Tram PIO.Box 2,873,945 1/1959 Kuhn ..415/178 Fort Lauderdale, 33307 FOREIGNPATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS Filed: y 1970 941,397 4/1956 Germany ..60/39.43[21] Appl. No.: 40,633

Primary Examiner-Douglas l-lart Related US. Application Data AssistantExaminer-Warren Olsen [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 741,623,July 1, Attorney-Julian Renfro 1968, abandoned. ABSTRACT [52] US. ClAIS/56, 60/3943 A gas turbine having a rotor serving as both compre [51]Int. Cl ..F0ld l/22 and turbine, and utilizing a plurality of non-rotat[58] Field of Search .....60/39.43; 415/54, 58, 56, 57, ing arcuatemembers disposed in spaced relation 415/175, 177, 199, 178 about theperiphery of the rotor. These arcuate members are involved in thedirecting of the flow of com- [56] References Cited bustion productsinto proximity of the blading of the turbine, to cause its rotation, andby virtue of their ad- UNITED STATES PATENTS vantageous design, thesearcuate members not only 1,349,487 8/1920 Bennett ..415/56 p establish acool air boundary against which the 1,882,630 10/1932 Jarvis 415/56combustion products react and thus minimize heating 2,537,344 1/1951Gruss 60/3943 of the blades, but also form passages for the sub- 3,9643/1957 Theimer I 9 3 sequent exhausting of the combustion products.3,310,940 3/1967 Oetliker 60/3943 3,283,509 11/1966 Nitsch ..4l5/143 6Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJAI 9191s 3; 709,629

SHEET 1 BF 4 INVENTOR EARL WQTRAUT ATTORNEY PATENTED JAN 9 I973 SHEET 2BF 4 INVENTOR EARL W. TRAUT ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAN 197 3. 709.629

SHEET 3 OF 4 2 INVENTOR- EARL W. TRALJT BY%K@7% ATTORNEY INTEGRATED FLOWGAS TURBINE RELATIONSHIP TO PRIOR APPLICATION This invention is aContinuation-in-Part of my earlier patent application entitledCentripetal Flow Gas Turbine," filed July 1, 1968, Ser. No. 741,623,now'abandoned.

SUMMARY This invention relates to an integrated flow gas turbine, andmore particularly to a novel engine in which hot gases created by thecombustion of fuel in a combustion chamber are caused to impinge uponblading of a dual purpose rotor arranged to rotate at high speed and todeliver air under pressure to the combustion chamber, my engine servingto deliver a useful amount of shaft power, or as a gas generator.

Most gas turbine engines today are equipped with a separate compressor,often driven from the same shaft as the turbine, for it is necessary tohave a considerable amount of air flowing into the engine in order forcombustion to take place on a continuous basis in the combustionchamber,

The present invention differs substantially from known prior art enginesby utilizing a rotor containing only one set of blades, but with theseblades being configured and arranged to perform not only the function ofcompressing the incoming air and delivering it into the combustion areaof the engine, but also the function of receiving the reaction or thrustfrom the high temperature gases, with the reaction of the gases againstthe blades serving to perpetuate the rotation thereof. Thus, my engineutilizes well known compression, combustion and reaction cycles in anovel and useful arrangement.

All facets of my invention involve the dual purpose rotor arrangement inwhich one portion of each blade of the rotor receives the thrust fromburning hot gases, such serving to cause further and continued rotationof the blading, and with another portion of each blade of the rotorserving to accomplish the compression of incoming air for the combustionto continue in the intended manner, and for cooling of the blades.However, one embodiment of my invention involves a centripetal flowarrangement in which the rotor is disposed radially outwardly withrespect to the combustion chamber, with the relatively cool incoming airflowing centripetally along the blades, and then entering the combustionchamber, with the products from the continuous combustion then flowingoutwardly through guide nozzles so as to react against the radiallyinner portions of the blades, thus to cause the continued rotation ofthe rotor.

Another embodiment of my invention involves a centrifugal flowarrangement in which the rotor is disposed radially inwardly of thecombustion chamber, with air compressed by the rotor flowingcentrifugally into the combustion chamber, with the products ofcombustion thereafter flowing past the radially outer portions of theblades. Still another embodiment involves an axial flow arrangement,with the relatively cool air from the final compressor stage enteringthe combustion chamber axially, and then flowing in the reversedirection through guide nozzles and reacting against the trailingportions of the final compressor stage blading, thus causing thecontinued rotation of the rotor, with the configuration in eachembodiment being such that uncombusted compressed air separates theblades from the combustion products to such an extent that heating ofthe blades is minimized, thus permitting the use of much less expensiveblades than are required in conventional gas turbines, where no suchcooling effect is present.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide anintegrated flow gas turbine in which a single rotor is utilized.

It is another object of my invention to provide a gas turbine in whichair compressed by a rotor is caused to flow along the blading of therotor in such a manner as to cool the blading, even in the presence ofcombustion products.

It is still another object of my invention to provide novel bladeconfigurations for a dual purpose rotor, thus to extract a maximumamount of thrust from the combustion products, and at the same time toderive the maximum cooling for the blades.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a gas turbine inwhich the products of combustion react against an air boundary thatautomatically adapts its shape to changes in turbine operatingparameters.

These and other objects, features and advantages of my invention will bemore apparent from a study of the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of my integrated flow gas turbine inthe centripetal flow embodiment, with some parts in section to revealinternal detail;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 1, also being partlyin section;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of my gas turbine to a smaller scale;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 4-4 in FIG. 1 to reveal gearing;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along lines 55 in FIG. 1 to reveal furtherblading and nozzle details of the centripetal flow embodiment;

FIG. 5a is an enlarged view ofa portion of FIG. 5, but revealing bladingofa different shape;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the members shown inFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a centrifugal flow embodiment of myinvention;

FIG. 8 is a view taken along lines 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an axial flow embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the axial flow embodiment atapproximately the mid portion; and

FIG. 11 is a view taken along lines 11-11 in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that I havethere shown a side elevational view of an exemplary version of myintegrated centripetal flow gas turbine I0, with portions of this figurepresented in section to reveal internal detail. A rotor 11 is arrangedto rotate about a stationary combustion chamber 17, as perhaps best seenin FIGS. 2 and 5. FIG. 3 shows to a reduced scale, the externalappearance of the engine.

The rotor 11 comprises a plurality of essentially straight blades 12arranged in a circular combination, with the blades at one end of thedevice as seen in FIG. I joined to a support ring 34 that is rotatableon a bearing 35. On the other end, the blades are joined to an internalgear 28 that is in mesh with a plurality of gears 29 mounted on shafts32, from which power can be delivered for accessories or the like.Engine torque is transmitted to a drive shaft 27 via small gears 30,which are also mounted on the shafts 32. These small gears mesh withlarge gear 31, which is mounted upon shaft 27. Note FIG. 4.

It will be noted that the blades 12 are essentially arcuate in crosssection, having a concave side 14 and a convex side 15, and being spacedessentially equidistant so as to provide space 16 between the blades. Itwill further be noted that the blades are of comparatively thickconstruction, with the tips thinner than the roots. As will be seen ingreater detail hereinafter, the blades 12 in these figures are thickerat the root location 12a to provide a reaction surface against whichgases can react to cause the rotor to turn at a high rate of speed.

Referring principally to FIGS. 2 and 5, it will be noted that thecentrally disposed combustion chamber is defined by a plurality ofstationary wall components 18 located adjacent the inner periphery ofthe blades of the rotor 11. As will be seen in FIG. 1, these wallcomponents are of substantially arcuate configuration, being supportedby stationary end plates 13, with a non-rotating shaft 37 extendingbetween these end plates to maintain them in the desired relationship. Ashroud 38 surrounds the shaft 37 so as to protect it from the heat ofthe combustion process. Shaft 37 is hollow to permit cooling air to flowthrough.

FIGS. 2 and reveal that the arcuate wall components 18 are spaced apartso as to form at most locations, guide nozzles 19 which communicate withthe combustion chamber 17. It is through these nozzles that exhaustgases flow in order to react against the base of blades 12. Wallcomponent 24 is different from the generally arcuate wall components 18in that it contains at least one fuel nozzle 21 and igniter 26; see FIG.6.

Adjacent the wall component 24 is defined an intake duct 20 throughwhich air compressed by the rotation of the blades 12 is caused to flowcentripetally so as to enter the combustion chamber; see FIGS. 2 and 5.Fuel nozzle 21 sprays fuel to mix with this incoming; air, with the fuelto air ratio being such that a continuous combustion process can takeplace in the volume 17 enclosed by the stationary wall components 18.FIG. 1 reveals that more than one fuel nozzle and more than one ignitercan be utilized. Each of the wall components 18 is provided witha'concave side 22 facing away from the combustion chamber 17, so as toform a recess 23 between the combustion chamber and the rotor, whichrecess substantially faces the rotor. The several recesses 23 in effectform exhaust ducts, which in turn connect to the exhaust opening 25revealed in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be disposed in one of the end plates 13.

Combustion takes place substantially within the central chamber definedby the arcuate members 18, with the combustion products leaving thenozzles 19 at great speed and impinging upon the radially inner ends 120of the rotor blades 12. During steady state operation, the pressure ofthe air compressed by the rotation of the blades 12 is only slightlyhigher than the pressure of the combustion products flowing outwardlythrough the nozzles 19, but both of these pressures are much higher thanthe pressure in the recesses 23 and the exhaust ducts. Thus, the hotcombustion gases deflect off of the lower surfaces 12a of the blades 12and are then drawn inwardly with unburned air into the recesses 23defined in the interior of the stationary wall components 18. Gas in therecesses 23 flows from right to left as viewed in FIG. 1, and then flowsoutwardly through the exhaust openings 25.

FIG. 5a reveals in general the phenomenon just discussed wherein the hotgases leaving an exhaust nozzle 19 in fact flows around the hookedportion 18a of the member 18 and thence flows into the interior portion23 of the stationary wall component. It should be noted that unburnedgases flowing centripetally between the blades 12 deflect thesecombustion products and thus prevent the overheating of the blades. Acool air boundary may be regarded as existing between a locationadjacent the point 33 of each member 18, and a location slightlyradially outwardly of the hooked portion 18a of the adjacent stationarywall component. This hot-cold boundary is identified by a short curveddashed line in FIG. 5a. This boundary will tend to remain in theapproximate position just described during steady state operation of myturbine, although it is continually interrupted by the radially innerportions of the blades as they continue to rotate. Engine accelerationincreases the pressure of the hot gases flowing through the exhaustnozzles 19 and causes the cool air boundary to bend away from theportion 18a of the stationary wall component until such time asacceleration has ceased, at which time the boundary will be restored toessentially the original position.

As will be discussed hereinafter, FIG. 5a depicts a slightly differentblade configuration from that involved in FIGS. 2 and 5, for in FIG. 5a,the blades have a rounded base portion 12b.

I have noted that the unburned compressed air flowing through spaces 16will increase in pressure as it proceeds radially inward towards base or12b of each blade, at which location it will expand slightly due to theadditional space available. In FIG. 5, after a given blade has movedpast a given nozzle 19 to a position essentially adjacent the hookportion 18a, the base 12a of the blade is then reacted upon by the hotcombustion gas. The slight expansion of the compressed gas, the changeof direction of the combustion gases and the difference in velocities ofthe burned and unburned gases causes a certain amount of turbulencewithin the boundary previously described to exist from the point 33along the space between the hooked portion 18a and the radially innerportion 120 of the nearest blade 12.

It is important to note with regard to FIG. 5 that the only section ofthe blades reacted upon by the hot combustion gases is the base portion12a, and significantly, even this portion is intermittently cooled bythe air compressed by the blades that travels past the nozzles.

Returning to FIG. 5a, it will be noted that the lower surface 12b of theblades has been shaped, with the entire trailing surface of the bladenow being convex, with a smaller radius at the root of the blade than atthe opposite edge of the blade. In the configuration in accordance withFIG. 5a, the cool air boundary tends to be defined by the blade roots asthe blades pass by the nozzle, and most importantly, the hot gas onlyapproaches the radially inner tip of the blade, with the turbinereaction taking place against the cool air boundary. This arrangementmakes it possible for the first time to design a simple air boundaryblade of variable shape that will efficiently adapt itself to radicalchanges in operating parameters, such as absolute pressure, absolutetemperature, velocity, accelerations and different fuels. This is ofcourse in contrast with conventional turbines, which must be designedfor fixed shape solid blades.

Turning now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that many of the relationshipsinvolve in this integrated centrifugal flow gas turbine are quitesimilar to those described in conjunction with the centripetal flowdesign discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 1 through 6. In FIG. 7, therotation of the blades 112 causes a substantial amount of flow ofunburned air to enter the air intake ducts 120, flowing in each instancepast a nozzle 121 and an igniter 126. Fuel is sprayed into the chambers117 in the proper ratio in order that an effective combustion processcan take place in the combustion chambers. Combustion products then flowat substantial speed radially inwardly through the exhaust nozzles 119so as to impinge upon the tips of the blades 112.

As will be noted from the upper portion of FIG. 7, there is asubstantial amount of mixing taking place between the burned andunburned gases, with the unburned gases serving to protect the tips ofthe blades 112. Inasmuch as pressure in the recesses 123 defined in thestationary wall components 118 opposite the combustion chamber 117 isless than the pressure of either the burned or the unburned gases, themixture flows into these recesses and thence in a substantially axialdirection to an overboard location.

FIG. 8 reveals a section taken along lines 8-8 in FIG. 7 to reveal themanner in which the exhaust gases leave the engine.

Turning now to FIG. 10, and to related FIG. 9, it will be noted that Ihave there shown an integrated axial flow gas turbine in accordance withmy invention, in which the combustion chamber 217 is defined bystationary end plate 213 and radially oriented stationary wallcomponents 218 adjacent which axial flow rotor 211 is disposed. Theblades 212 of this rotor are mounted upon a shaft 227 at spacedlocations, with the rotation of this shaft causing air to be deliveredinto intake ducts 220, which connect into the combustion chamber 217.Several fuel nozzles 22] inject fuel into the combustion chamber 217 soas to achieve the proper fuel to air ratio necessary for desirablecombustion. Hot combustion gases leave the combustion chamber throughexhaust nozzles 219 so as to react upon the adjacent tips of the blades212 in the manner shown in FIG. 11. As before, there is a cool airboundary to deflect the combustion products, with the result being thatthe blades 212 are protected from being overheated. Thereafter, theburned and unburned gases flow outwardly through ducts 223 that connectto exhaust openings 225.

As should now be apparent, there is sufficient reaction of thecombustion products against the near side of the blades 212 to cause therotor 211 to rotate and provide useful power.

As will now be apparent, I have described several embodiments of myinvention that I regard as being primary, with different ones of theseembodiments being suitable to meet a wide variety of needs.

However, I am not to be limited to the embodiments shown and describedherein, for if desired, the compressed air or the hot combustionproducts could be generated elsewhere and then directed into a machinein accordance with any of the primary embodiments of this invention, orcompressed air from a separate source could be used for blade coolinginstead of being generated by the blades of this invention.

As a further point, a portion of the blading can be utilized only forcompression, involving a structural modification different than theforegoing, and involving use of a flow divider such that part of the aircompressed by the rotor is delivered for combustion into an adjacentsurrounding combustion chamber, whereas the remainder of the flow fromthe compressor is utilized only for cooling this other portion of theblading.

As a further point, one edge of a blade can be used for generatingpressure and an essentially perpendicular edge can be used for obtainingthrust and yet be self-cooling. For instance, the outward tips of acentrifugal compressor can be used for conventional generation ofpressure, while portions of the radial edges can be beveled, shaped, orotherwise configured and used as a turbine reaction surface.

As a further point, almost any conventional or other turbine blade canbe utilized for obtaining thrust and yet be self-cooling by utilizingthe previously described cool air boundary for hot gas reaction.

Iclaim:

1. A turbine adapted to be operated by hot gases comprising a housing, abladed rotor disposed in said housing and adapted to spin at high speed,a plurality of generally arcuate members disposed in said housingadjacent the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members beingindependent, two-sided members spaced apart so as to define passagestherebetween, through which passages hot gases can pass so as to actupon the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members being individuallyconfigured so as each to define a recess into which hot gases pass afteracting upon said blades, with the passages and the recesses thus beingdisposed in a single alternating array on only one side of said blades,and exhaust means to which said recesses are connected so that hot gasescan be carried away.

2. The turbine as recited in claim 1 in which a radial inflow-outflowdevice is defined, in which the hot gases are directed radially inwardlyto act against said blades, with the flow leaving the blades flowingsubstantially radially outwardly in order to enter said recesses.

3. The turbine as recited in claim 1 in which a centripetal flowarrangement is defined, with the combustion products flowing betweensaid arcuate members flowing radially outwardly so as to impinge uponthe blades of said turbine, with the combustion products thereafterturning and then flowing substantially radially inwardly in order toenter said recesses.

4. The turbine as recited in claim 1 in which an axial flow device isdefined, in which the combustion products are directed substantiallyaxially in order to act upon the blades of said rotor and thenthereafter turning to flow substantially axially away from said rotor inorder to enter said recesses.

5. A turbine adapted to be operated by hot gases comprising a housing, abladed rotor disposed in said housing and adapted to spin at high speed,a plurality of generally arcuate members disposed in said housingadjacent the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members being spacedapart so as to define passages therebetween, through which hot gases canpass so as to act upon the blades of said rotor, said arcuate membersbeing individually configured so as each to define a recess into whichhot gases pass after acting upon said blades, with the passages and therecesses thus being disposed in an alternating array on only one side ofsaid blades, and exhaust means to which said recesses are connected sothat hot gases can be carried away, and means defining a hot-coldboundary layer between said arcuate members and said blades, by whichthe hot gases are substantially prevented from impinging directly uponsaid turbine blades, said boundary layer resulting from a substantialflow of relatively cold gas under pressure from between said blades,each blade having an edge adjacent said arcuate members and another edgedistant therefrom, said blades, during their rapid rotation, conductingcooling gas from between said distant edges to said boundary layer, and

thence into said recesses.

6. A turbine adapted to be operated by hot gases comprising a housing, abladed rotor disposed in said housing and adapted to spin at high speed,a plurality of generally arcuate members disposed in said housingadjacent the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members being i spacedapart so as to define passages therebetween, through which hot gases canpass so as to act upon the blades of said rotor, said arcuate membersbeing individually configured so as each to define a recess into whichhot gases pass after acting upon said blades, with the passages and therecesses thus being disposed in an alternating array on only one side ofsaid blades, and exhaust means to which said recesses are connected sothat hot gases can be carried away, the hot gases moving toward saidblades being met with flow of compressed gas delivered as a result ofthe rapid rotation of said blades, such that the hot gases aresubstantially prevented by the presence of the compressed gas fromimpinging directly upon the turbine blades, thus serving tosubstantially prolong the life of said blades.

1. A turbine adapted to be operated by hot gases comprising a housing, abladed rotor disposed in said housing and adapted to spin at high speed,a plurality of generally arcuate members disposed in said housingadjacent the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members beingindependent, two-sided members spaced apart so as to define passagestherebetween, through which passages hot gases can pass so as to actupon the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members being individuallyconfigured so as each to define a recess into which hot gases pass afteracting upon said blades, with the passages and the recesses thus beingdisposed in a single alternating array on only one side of said blades,and exhaust means to which said recesses are connected so that hot gasescan be carried away.
 2. The turbine as recited in claim 1 in which aradial inflow-outflow device is defined, in which the hot gases aredirected radially inwardly to act against said blades, with the flowleaving the blades flowing substantially radially outwardly in order toenter said recesses.
 3. The turbine as recited in claim 1 in which acentripetal flow arrangement is defined, with the combustion productsflowing between said arcuate members flowing radially outwardly so as toimpinge upon the blades of said turbine, with the combustion productsthereafter turning and then flowing substantially radially inwardly inorder to enter said recesses.
 4. The turbine as recited in claim 1 inwhich an axial flow device is defined, in which the combustion productsare directed substantially axially in order to act upon the blades ofsaid rotor and then thereafter turning to flow substantially axiallyaway from said rotor in order to enter said recesses.
 5. A turbineadapted to be operated by hot gases comprising a housing, a bladed rotordisposed in said housing and adapted to spin at high speed, a pluralityof generally arcuate members disposed in said housing adjacent theblades of said rotor, said arcuate members being spaced apart so as todefine passages therebetween, through which hot gases can pass so as toact upon the blades of said rotor, said arcuate members beingindividually configured so as each to define a recess into which hotgases pass after acting upon said blades, with the passages and therecesses thus being disposed in an alternating array on only one side ofsaid blades, and exhaust means to which said recesses are connected sothat hot gases can be carried away, and means defining a hot-coldboundary layer between said arcuate members and said blades, by whichthe hot gases are substantially prevented from impinging directly uponsaid turbine blades, said boundary layer resulting from a substantialflow of relatively cold gas under pressure from between said blades,each blade having an edge adjacent said arcuate members and another edgedistant therefrom, said blades, during their rapid rotation, conductingcooling gas from between said distant edges to said boundary layer, andthence into said recesses.
 6. A turbine adapted to be operated by hotgases comprising a housing, a bladed rotor disposed in said housing andadapted to spin at high speed, a plurality of generally arcuate membersdisposed in said housing adjacent the blades of said rotor, said arcuatemembers being spaced apart so as to define passages therebetween,through which hot gases can pass so as to act upon the blades of saidrotor, said arcuate members being individually configured so as each todefine a recess into which hot gases pass after acting upon said blades,with the passages and the recesses thus being disposed in an alternatingarray on only one side of said blades, and exhaust means to which saidrecesses are connected so that hot gases can be carried away, the hotgases moving toward said blades being met with flow of compressed gasdelivered as a result of the rapid rotation of said blades, such thatthe hot gases are substantially prevented by the presence of thecompressed gas from impinging directly upon the turbine blades, thusserving to substantially prolong the life of said blades.